Roy, a returning series favourite, has had a visual overhaul. His final smash is called Critical Hit.

Ryu is unique in that you can control him two ways. If you use traditional Street Fighter controls to trigger his special moves, they’ll be stronger than the standard control versions. He has two Final Smash moves, and is the first character in the series’ history to do so.

Sakurai also presented a range of new Mii Fighter costumes, including some drawing on Sega’s Virtua Fighter series. The Akira costume is amusingly polygonal. Jackie’s is more modern. There’s also a Heihachi costume from Tekken. (Hmm. Do I sense more company crossover DLC characters?) New Mega Man, Animal Crossing and Splatoon costumes were also shown.

On to stages now. Dream Land from the original Smash Bros. game on N64 is coming back. Nintendo also showed off a Miiverse stage, which shows posts from character-specific Miiverse communities. Suzaku Castle from Street Fighter is being added, too, as is an Omega Forms stage.

All the new characters, costumes and stages will be available from the eShop as premium DLC today. Ryu, Ken, Roy, Lucas and Splatoon bonus trophies are available as of the latest update, along with three special trophies for All Star mode.

Multiple new Amiibo were announced – Mii Brawler, Mii Swordfighter and Mii Gunner are coming soon. R.O.B., Duck Hunt and Mr. Game & Watch are due in September. Falco is coming during the holidays. Lucas and Mewtwo are inbound but have not been dated.

Nintendo said every single Super Smash Bros. character will eventually have an Amiibo.

New features are also coming to Super Smash Bros. A community tournament mode called “Tournies” will be added in August, and you’ll soon be able to record and share replays directly to YouTube.

Watch the full presentation below.

Although you’ve seen them before, here are the official versions of the Ryo and Roy trailers.

No word on what the special Nintendo Direct session will cover, but it will be hosted by project lead Masahiro Sakurai. We expect to hear about upcoming DLC characters at the very least, joining the likes of MewTwo and Mother 3’s Lucas, who drops next month.

This will probably be the biggest Smash Bros. news drop of E3 2015. Nintendo hasn’t fronted a traditional E3 presentation for several years now, relying on Nintendo Direct and Nintendo Treehouse to communicate with consumers rather than press and trade. It does bring its products to the show floor, though.

“Developing the Smash games is the best way to satisfy the most players worldwide. And that is precisely why we decided not only to distribute Mewtwo, but to also reintroduce Lucas, the protagonist of Mother 3, as a playable character,” Sakurai wrote in his latest Famitsu column, according to Sourcegaming‘s translation.

“In other words, we plan to release premium DLC (downloadable content) for Sm4sh.”

This is quite the reversal: Sakurai had said in the past that DLC wasn’t on the table, and indeed went on to describe what he calls “DLC scam”: “charging customers extra money to complete what was essentially an unfinished product”. He said he understands how this upsets players, and would never cut a game into pieces to make extra money by withholding finished fighters.

“The DLC we are releasing for Sm4sh is authentic, developed only after we finished working on the main game,” he promised.

“Of course, said content will come to you at a premium as compensation for the work put into developing additional content post-production. Nintendo has the final say on the price, but given the number of man-hours spent on the creation of this DLC, I’d say it’s a great deal.”

Sakurai said he’s excited to continue working with a smaller development team to continue supporting the game as well as producing new characters.

“Fighters take an incredible amount of work to develop, so I don’t think we’ll be able to produce that many. Part of me would also love to finish up the project and finally enjoy some rest and relaxation,” he added.

“That said, we’ve already begun development, so I would like to provide as much additional fun and excitement as possible from here on out. We’ll continue working for a little while longer.”

Sourcegaming has a full translation as well as the original Japanese text, if you’re after more details; Sakurai also discusses the decision to make Mewtwo available as premium DLC as well as as a free bonus for those who own both versions of the game.

Two words from the image have been blurred out. It looks like the mode is called “Master [something], Crazy [something]”. The image shows a hand grabbing at gold on both sides, and the red and blue backgrounds suggest some sort of dual role mode.

Miyamoto first suggested Pac-Man as a guest character for the Super Smash Bros. series when Brawl was in production, according to series creator Masahiro Sakurai.

In his Famitsu blog, as translated by Kotaku, Sakurai said he shot the idea down.

“At the time, imagining the image of Pac-Man and his incomplete pizza shape, I thought to myself, ‘Hmmm… That’s a little too farfetched,'” Sakurai said.

Now, of course, Pa-Man is set to appear in Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U.

“You never know what’s going to happen in this world. I’ll just keep my mouth shut. That’s a good idea,” Sakurai said.

No doubt it helps that Sakurai is collaborating with Pac-Man owner Namco Bandai to developer the two new fighters, but we can thank Miyamoto for putting the germ of the idea in Sakurai’s mind.

Super Smash Bros. 3DS is due in October, while Super Smash Bros. Wii U is expected before the end of the year.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2014/07/04/super-smash-bros-wii-u-pac-man-thank-shigeru-miyamoto/feed/1Why Super Smash Bros. 3ds and Wii U has Mii fightershttp://www.vg247.com/2014/06/20/why-super-smash-bros-3ds-and-wii-u-has-mii-fighters/
http://www.vg247.com/2014/06/20/why-super-smash-bros-3ds-and-wii-u-has-mii-fighters/#commentsFri, 20 Jun 2014 02:34:31 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=479588When the idea of Mii fighters in the Smash Bros. series was first raised, creator Masahiro Sakurai dismissed it out of hand. Why did he change his mind for Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U?

Nintendo raised the idea of Mii characters for 2008 Wii title Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but Sakurai “thought it over for about a minute and immediately decided against it”, the creator wrote in a new Famitsu blog post.

So, what changed? Mainly the way Miis have become a central and recognisable part of the Nintendo experience, appearing far more often in games and system software.

The addition of Miis will allow Sakurai to solve a knotty problem, too; fans around the world are always writing in to suggest characters for inclusion in the Smash Bros. roster, and there’s simply no way to accommodate them all – especially given copyright law.

Masahiro Sakurai explained that he was against having Miis as fighters initially, but they’ve been tweaked to make them more fight-friendly, with weapons, more animation and other quirks that make them formidable in battle.

They come in Brawler, Gunner ad Swordfighter classes, each with 12 move options.

He added that the sale date of the 3DS version is “fast approaching.” It appears to have a baseball bat range, world map mode and other mini-games on top of regular battles.

Over on MiiVerse, Sakurai wrote, “Here’s wire frame Little Mac re-envisioned from the original Punch-Out!! game. The man that actually drew the pixel art wire frame in the original was none other than Shigeru Miyamoto. He said he drew the pixels for the wire frame on graph paper.”

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2014/05/12/smash-bros-wii-u-gets-wireframe-little-mac-screenshot/feed/0Smash Bros. Wii U: new screens show the Dragoon from Kirby’s Air Ride in actionhttp://www.vg247.com/2014/05/09/smash-bros-wii-u-new-screens-show-the-dragoon-from-kirbys-air-ride-in-action/
http://www.vg247.com/2014/05/09/smash-bros-wii-u-new-screens-show-the-dragoon-from-kirbys-air-ride-in-action/#commentsFri, 09 May 2014 10:16:34 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=470745Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS producer Masahiro Sakurai has posted a pair of new screens from the incoming brawler, this time showing the Dragoon assist item from Kirby’s Air Ride in action.

Over on MiiVerse, Sakurai wrote, “Pic of the day. Uniting three parts will complete the legendary Air Ride machine… the Dragoon! It’s back! But we didn’t just leave it the way it was, and added some nice touches to the design of the targeting screen. It is, of course, in stereoscopic 3D on the 3DS.”

He added, “Just the target screen felt lacking so here’s a pic of the Dragoon itself. I wanna get on it. I wanna get on and ride it.”

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2014/05/09/smash-bros-wii-u-new-screens-show-the-dragoon-from-kirbys-air-ride-in-action/feed/0Super Smash Bros. features Isabelle from Animal Crossing: New Leaf as assist trophyhttp://www.vg247.com/2014/04/04/super-smash-bros-features-isabelle-from-animal-crossing-new-leaf-as-assist-trophy/
http://www.vg247.com/2014/04/04/super-smash-bros-features-isabelle-from-animal-crossing-new-leaf-as-assist-trophy/#commentsFri, 04 Apr 2014 17:59:03 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=462548Super Smash Bros. will feature an Animal Crossing: New Leaf assist trophy in the form of the game’s Isabelle. The news was announced by director Masahiro Sakurai today, via Siliconera. Maybe she will be shown during the Super Smash Bros-centric Nintendo Direct next Tuesday, April 8.
]]>http://www.vg247.com/2014/04/04/super-smash-bros-features-isabelle-from-animal-crossing-new-leaf-as-assist-trophy/feed/0Super Smash Bros. will have Skyward Sword’s Gust Bellows, other Zelda-inspired itemshttp://www.vg247.com/2014/04/02/super-smash-bros-will-have-skyward-swords-gust-bellows-other-zelda-inspired-items/
http://www.vg247.com/2014/04/02/super-smash-bros-will-have-skyward-swords-gust-bellows-other-zelda-inspired-items/#commentsWed, 02 Apr 2014 21:47:29 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=461801Super Smash Bros. will have more than one item inspired by The Legend of Zelda, series creator Masahiro Sakurai has teased.

In a Miiverse post showing off the Gust Bellows from Skyward Sword, Sakurai said fans can expect more familiar gadgets.

“The Gust Bellows can blow opponents away with its powerful wind blasts. When someone drops it, though, the gusts run wild,” he said.

“Out of the new items, more than a few will be from The Legend of Zelda series. We’ll take the most interesting and straightforward ones and reformulate them to match the Smash Bros. world. ”

I know right? Shock-horror as man who develops games on Nintendo platform likes rival format. It’s a stance that will surely bring about the fall of civilization as we know it.

Still, Sakurai’s Famitsu column began, “First off, the console looks cool. As hardware evolves, people tend to make things more rounded or add more details, but [the PS4] is properly angular. This simplicity is really nice.

“Whether it’s Nintendo or Sony, Japanese or Foreign, I don’t care about picking sides. I work hoping that the future of games and the game business will be more fun.”

Careful Sakurai, that’s dangerous thinking there sonny-Jim.

He did lament the lack of PS3 backwards-compatibility however, and added, “If only I could play PS3 games on it, I could pack up my PS3 and my room would be cleaner…”

“What I found most appealing was the machine’s power,” he went on. “Looking over the various software, the screens are detailed and smooth. Load times are short and there are no slowdowns. Such performance right out the gate — this will help a lot of developers.

“Comfort is often overlooked. It’s subtle like air, and above all, hard to achieve and build.
It’s like ‘being healthy.’ It’s easy to forget that things that come naturally are the most valuable.
Take loading time for instance — you don’t think about it if there is none, but once it’s there, it’s an annoyance. Developers struggle to simplify such things. It can’t be helped, but there is a lot that needs to be done that has nothing to do with how entertaining a game is.

“This sort of ‘unneeded effort,’ should be reduced by whatever means necessary. That will lead to more robust content. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if raising a hardware’s specs lead to smoother game development?
Of course, this is just a developer’s opinion and has nothing to do with the player. But it’s something that will most certainly come back to the player.”

Nintendo Everything has the image here. It was posted along with a message from Sakurai that read, “You can find this statue of the Goddess of Light in one of the stages. She’s watching over the arena.”

Are you keen on Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS? Let us know below.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2014/01/29/smash-bros-wii-u-3ds-gets-kid-icarus-stage-screen/feed/0Super Smash Bros. will include Legend of Zelda’s beetle itemhttp://www.vg247.com/2014/01/29/super-smash-bros-will-include-legend-of-zeldas-beetle-item/
http://www.vg247.com/2014/01/29/super-smash-bros-will-include-legend-of-zeldas-beetle-item/#commentsWed, 29 Jan 2014 02:52:07 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=444161In news of extreme interest to a very small contingent of our demographic, Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U will include a new item.

According to a new screenshot posted on MiiVerse by game director Masahiro Sakurai, the beetle is coming to the latest version of Super Smash Bros.

The version seen in the multiplayer brawler is that found in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

As such, it can be used to grab characters and carry them into the air. Sakurai apparently finds this very amusing.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2014/01/29/super-smash-bros-will-include-legend-of-zeldas-beetle-item/feed/1Smash Bros. Wii U: edge-camping can now be countered, Sakurai explainshttp://www.vg247.com/2014/01/22/smash-bros-wii-u-edge-camping-can-be-countered-sakurai-explains/
http://www.vg247.com/2014/01/22/smash-bros-wii-u-edge-camping-can-be-countered-sakurai-explains/#commentsWed, 22 Jan 2014 11:43:39 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=442223Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has taken to MiiVerse to discuss the art of edge-camping in the series, and how tweaks to the new Wii U and 3DS brawler will force players to think a little differently.

Edge-camping is a tactic employed by current Smash Bros. players, and involves them latching onto the stage’s ledge to block their opponents from doing the same. Posting on MiiVerse, Sakurai revealed that the strategy can now be countered, along with this image of Mario countering Link:

He added, “Some other changes include:
-Air time and accumulated damage will determine your period of invincibility while hanging on an edge.
-Grab controls will no longer be affected by whether you have above or below 100% damage.”

Posting on MiiVerse, Sakurai wrote, “There will be trophies in the 3DS and Wii U games, and each version will boast different types and models. The 3DS trophies will be mainly from handhelds and the Wii U version will feature trophies from the home-console games.”

Here’s a trophy of Saria from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D:

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2014/01/07/smash-bros-wii-u-3ds-have-different-trophy-sets/feed/0Super Smash Bros. will contain a Skull Kid Assist Trophyhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/12/06/super-smash-bros-will-contain-a-skull-kid-assist-trophy/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/12/06/super-smash-bros-will-contain-a-skull-kid-assist-trophy/#commentsFri, 06 Dec 2013 14:03:55 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=433093Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has posted an image of a new Assist Trophy in the game, and it’s none other than the Skull Kid from The Legend of Zelda series. Those who played The Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and Twilight Princess will recognize the child, whose appearance has changed for the worse after becoming lost in the Lost Woods. For those unfamiliar with how an Assist Trophy works in the game, it is an item that, when grabbed, summons a Nintendo character to aid the player in battle. Super Smash Bros. is out next year on Wii U and 3DS. Thanks, Gematsu.
]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/12/06/super-smash-bros-will-contain-a-skull-kid-assist-trophy/feed/2Super Smash Bros. Wii U gets Mario Galaxy stage, has gravity wells, says Sakuraihttp://www.vg247.com/2013/11/15/super-smash-bros-wii-u-gets-mario-galaxy-stage-has-gravity-wells-says-sakurai/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/11/15/super-smash-bros-wii-u-gets-mario-galaxy-stage-has-gravity-wells-says-sakurai/#commentsFri, 15 Nov 2013 10:43:21 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=427231Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS will feature a stage set in Super Mario Galaxy. It’ll be full of mad gravity effects, according to game director Masahiro Sakurai.

As always, Sakurai took to MiiVerse to drop the new image. Here it is:

He wrote, “A new stage, Mario Galaxy!! The pull of gravity emanates from the center of the planet, so this will require using brand-new tactics.”

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/11/15/super-smash-bros-wii-u-gets-mario-galaxy-stage-has-gravity-wells-says-sakurai/feed/1Smash Bros Wii U adds male Wii Fit Trainer to character rosterhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/10/31/smash-bros-wii-u-adds-male-wii-fit-trainer-to-character-roster/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/10/31/smash-bros-wii-u-adds-male-wii-fit-trainer-to-character-roster/#commentsThu, 31 Oct 2013 09:08:48 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=422605Super Smash Bros. has received a new character on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. It’s the male Wii Fit Trainer. I’m guessing some of you would have liked someone a little more prolific.

Series producer Masahiro Sakurai posted the above image on his MiiVerse feed, along with the message, “The trial version of Wii Fit U is available now! We’d like to share this pic to commemorate the occasion.”

It’s still not known if the male Trainer is a playable fighter. It could just be an alternate skin for the playable female version. What do you think?

Meanwhile, the new Super Smash Bros. has been getting some Pokemon X & Y love. Check it out here.

“Is there any industry that relies so much on reusing and reusing their old titles as much as video games?” Sakurai wrote in a Famitsu column translated by Polygon.

“Compared to other media like movies, dramas, animation, novels and comics, the glut of franchises and remakes is at an unnatural level.”

Sakurai said part of the problem is that games, unlike other forms of media, require the player to learn how to play them; rehashes of existing formulae partially avoid this problem. That’s also why many games use similar control schemes, he added. But although games that reuse existing material can be very good, Sakurai emphasised the need for innovation in balance with recycling.

“Good games attract fans, and if you have fans, you have an advantage. You try to use that to make the title something bigger, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to give up on innovation. Popular, well-made games deserve praise, but titles that have some kind of unique creative spark to them also need to be praised in this way,” he said.

Masahiro Sakurai took the picture above, and you can check out a new image of the game each day over at the site’s hub.

]]>http://www.vg247.com/2013/09/12/super-smash-bros-wii-u-princess-peach-confirmed-first-image-here/feed/8Super Smash Bros. Pyrosphere stage teasedhttp://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/super-smash-bros-pyrosphere-stage-teased/
http://www.vg247.com/2013/08/21/super-smash-bros-pyrosphere-stage-teased/#commentsWed, 21 Aug 2013 14:43:19 +0000http://www.vg247.com/?p=400686Super Smash Bros. looks to be getting the Pyrosphere stage from Metroid: Other M. This is according to a Wii U screenshots teased by game director Masahiro Sakurai. You can have a look at the shot in a large format over on NeoGAF. Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS is out next year. Thanks, Gematsu.
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